Ever Since
by spicehnoodles
Summary: Two years. On Daryl's part, it was two years of hesitantly approaching whatever they had going on and then immediately retreating cowardly. On Beth's part, it was two years attempting to cope with a silly crush that soon escalated into something deeper, new, and welcoming.


For two years, Beth Green was the babysitter for Judith Grimes (and, at times, Carl Grimes as well, but to make her job easier, Carl would sleepover at his friend's house or his Aunt Michonne's every time Beth babysat). Her dad, Hershel Greene, and Rick Grimes, Judith's dad, had ran into each other at the DMV. Greetings and pleasantries had been exchanged. Soon enough, Rick had begun to explain how difficult it was to balance work and the new baby. Before the birth of Judith, Lori's clothing store had skyrocketed in popularity; she hadn't wanted to abandon her business. Hershel had recommended Beth as a babysitter, and it was all smooth sailing from then on.

For two and a half years, Daryl Dixon was the neighbor for the Grimes family. While he settled in, time and time again, Rick or Lori Grimes would knock on his front door and invite him to their house for a meal. He'd refuse and even went so far as snapping at them and slamming the door in their faces. After a few months, Rick invited Daryl to their house for Thanksgiving. Daryl agreed, and his relationship with the Grimes family began and thrived as the time went by.

The first time Beth Greene met Daryl Dixon was when she was babysitting Judith one night. Carl was at a sleepover, and Rick and Lori attended a fundraiser. Looking out the window next to the front door, Beth's mouth opened in awe at the sight of the starry night. She picked up Judith, who was playing with plastic vegetables and fruits, and kissed her cheek.

"Wanna see something beautiful, Judy?" Beth whispered excitedly.

At the front porch, Daryl leaned his chest against the railing and exhaled the smoke. The night was quiet, and that was why he picked this neighborhood. He could've bought a simple, run-down cabin, but most of them were either irreparable or expensive. He was content with his current abode, though.

A giggle caught his attention. His head dipped, and he focused on the source.

Judith reached out a tiny hand as if she was attempting to catch a star. Beth giggled again at her attempts and at the sounds of her coos and gurgles.

Daryl smiled at the sight of Judith. As soon as he was handed the opportunity to hold the baby, he was wrapped around her finger.

When he heard the young girl holding Judith giggle, his eyebrows furrowed. Her giggle stood out in the quiet neighborhood. It didn't grate his ears because it was soft, but it was a different sound to hear. He heard laughs before, but he guessed it was because the night was calm and so was her laugh.

All of a sudden, Judith squealed in delight, arms flailing. Beth, confused, searched where her attention was directed at.

A chuckle escaped Daryl. He waved at Judith which proceeded for her to squeal even louder. Her arms begged for him to carry her.

Beth's eyes squinted in the darkness. The streetlights were lit well, but she wasn't quite sure where Judith's attention lay. A pinch of fright entered her system because she read that babies had a third eye and saw what others were unable to.

The sight of Judith wanting him was too adorable to pass up. Daryl threw his cigarette to the ground and put it out with his boot. He approached the baby and the girl, making sure his boots made noise so he wouldn't startle the young girl.

He smirked when he saw the young girl's hold on the baby tighten and she backed up a few steps. He wasn't offended and understood why. She should have done so if you looked at it through her perspective.

_Judith knows this man, but I still have to take precautions_, Beth thought, eyeing the man intently. It was hard to see his profile because he had hair blocking his eyes, but he had broad shoulders and muscular arms.

"Hey Lil' Asskicker," Daryl greeted.

The raspiness in the man's voice sent tingles through Beth. She relaxed somewhat once Judith continued to beg for his arms.

"You mind?"

But her eyebrows remained furrowed.

"Don't worry, girl. Lil' Asskicker and I are friends," he assured her.

She then questioned, "Lil' Asskicker?"

Daryl walked up until the second to the last step and held out his arms. Immediately, Judith reached out, grunting. He gave Beth another reassuring nod before she finally relented.

He smiled at Judith's soft hands patting him everywhere.

She couldn't help it. Beth, as well, smiled at the scene before her. The rough outlook of the man melted away once he held Judith. All she saw was a man affectionate for a baby. She wanted to continue to admire the view, but it was rude and probably downright creepy since he didn't know her.

"What's your name?" Beth asked politely.

Daryl glanced at her. "Daryl," he replied. She remained quiet, expectant. If he told her his last name, her eyes might widen in disgust. "Dixon," he finally added.

No disgust was shown. "I'm Beth Greene. Nice to meet ya."

"You're Hershel's kid?"

She nodded.

"Hm." He broke his attention away from the blonde girl and saw that Judith was fast asleep in his arms. "Usin' me as your pillow, huh?"

_How in the world are those muscles even comfortable?_ Beth thought. Her cheeks flamed. She stepped closer to retrieve Judith back. "I'll bring her inside now."

Daryl obliged. He felt Beth's hands on his arms while she went to hold Judith. He thought she was going to head inside already, but she rocked her gently, humming.

Her soft giggle. Her soft humming. Even though he was within proximity of her, it was soft. But his ears only heard her giggle, her hums. He failed to hear the sound of the crickets, the buzzing of the streetlights, or the faint barks down the street. Just her. The situation was strange because he was a hunter. He was supposed to hear everything around him with almost perfect clarity.

It bothered him, so he went to go back home.

"Goodnight, Mr. Dixon," Beth called out.

Daryl looked back and saw her with the front door open. The light spilled out onto her, and he could see how she looked like somewhat properly. Her blonde hair shone, and she was so damn skinny and petite.

He nodded in response and walked back home, rubbing the nape of his neck.

Walking to Judith's nursery room, Beth murmured in the baby's ear, "You got good taste, Judy."

* * *

><p>Polite, blinding smiles and grunts defined their relationship. If Daryl was in a good mood — Beth determined his good mood if he nodded with the grunt or, the rarest of the rares, if he nodded with the grunt and faced her direction — Beth would attempt to make small talk. All of these usually occurred when Beth was at the Grimes's porch and Daryl at his.<p>

Beth was never deterred by his lack of responses. If she hadn't seen how he was with Judith, she might've kept her distance. She'd like to think that after a few attempts at conversation she'd see past it and become comfortable. But she had seen him with Judith, and that hadn't escaped her memory.

She _really_ remembered how he looked like.

Daryl's eyes would usually flit over to the Grimes's house to see if that blonde-haired girl was waiting outside for either Rick or Lori to answer the door. Sometimes she would bring Judith out on a picnic or for some fresh air if the weather permitted.

He didn't have any aversion towards Beth. She was polite and kept her distance. Some days she had the gall to approach his walkway to make small talk, but she didn't stay long. But whenever she babysat Judy, he would always hear hums and giggles.

It bothered him because he began to expect to hear a hum or a giggle almost every day. Her hums were soft, and he wondered if she had some nice pipes in her. At one point, he yearned to hear her sing. He immediately recoiled from that thought and had an overall bad day throughout.

Daryl intrigued her. Beth bothered him.

Beth had some sort of semblance as to why she liked Daryl — or began to have a crush on him. It was silly, most likely fleeting if she had only seen his arms and face. But if she hadn't seen Daryl with Judith, the affectionate, gentle look in his eyes, she maybe might not have had any feelings for him that caused her to blush or feel tingly about.

_It's just a crush. It'll go away_, Beth would think. The image of gentle Daryl would appear. _Oh Lord, please let that image of that man go away._

Daryl was unsure why Beth's hums and giggles bothered him. It didn't annoy him; it was the fact that he was suddenly attuned to them that annoyed him. In turn, it made him annoyed by her since she was the source of those soft hums and those contagious giggles. After weeks of hearing them, they grew loud. They didn't haunt him like his past did, but they were just there.

_Always hummin' and gigglin', this girl_, Daryl would think. He would find himself listening to her hums while he would be out on the porch, smoking a cigarette. _Always so damn happy …_

Their relationship hadn't hit any bumps in the road yet. It was civil and simple. The duo didn't think any obstacles would come because there wasn't even an open pathway to anything more no matter what fantasies Beth's mind conjured up or what Daryl wouldn't dare to think.

* * *

><p>At sixteen-years-old, Beth only had her learner's permit so far. Her ride to the Grimes was usually Maggie, Shawn, or if Jimmy had time. Her mom was unwell — for a while now already. Patricia took the role as her caretaker, and Otis took care of most of the farm work since Shawn was prepping for college and her dad was busy with the clinic.<p>

She shoved her hands in her front pockets, hoping to find some warmth. She wore a light long-sleeved and didn't think Maggie would take so long. She could ask Rick for a ride, but he came home completely exhausted from work.

At 37-years-old, Daryl only had one job. After Merle got locked up, he struggled with the rent at the apartment he and Merle had stayed at previously. He had to juggle three jobs, one of which was a janitor at an elementary school. The schoolchildren were frightened of him especially when he snapped at them for bullying this one kid for her lisp and for spilling their juices and chips on the floor carelessly. The principal decided he should clean at night after school, and, because of that, he had to compromise the schedules of his other two jobs.

So, coming home at around 11:15 at night, on Tuesdays and Thursdays (on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, he came home at four in the afternoon), was sometimes surreal. In the past, he would come home at 6 in the morning and have only two hours of sleep. Right now, he got the night to himself, able to find peace since the warehouse could get deafening.

Much to his dismay, his night was ruined when he received a call from Merle from prison.

_"Ain't ya gonna visit me, baby brother? After all the shit I've done for ya."_

Beth took out her hand-me-down phone from Shawn. Maggie still hadn't replied to her constant texts and calls.

Daryl was about to go up the steps to his house when he saw Beth standing at the bottom of the porch steps. It was clear that she was impatient and anxious with the way she kept shifting from foot to foot and bouncing a little.

_Ignore her_, he told himself. _She's a nice girl, but yer a grown man. It ain't proper; ya can't offer to drop her home._

The young girl turned to the side and saw Daryl staring at her. She blushed at his blatant staring. Raising up her hand, she waved hello at him.

"Shit," he muttered. Instead of ignoring her, he ignored his brain and approached Beth until he was within hearing distance.

"How was work, Mr. Dixon?" Beth attempted to ask conversationally. She wanted to talk to Daryl since this was the first time he went up to her, but she was impatient. Maggie was supposed to pick her up tonight. It was way past her curfew.

He ignored her question, too. "Why ain't ya home?" Daryl asked. His eyes noticed her shiver when the wind went past them.

"My sister's not answerin' her phone."

Daryl scratched the side of his beard. "You need a ride?" He didn't look at her.

A smile blossomed on her face, worry melting away. "Are you sure? I mean, you must be tired from work, and I don't wanna impo — "

He gestured for her to follow him with his head.

In the truck, the two were silent. Daryl didn't enjoy radio music, thinking it was repetitive and shallow.

"Let's get to know each other," Beth suggested.

He grunted. This wasn't a good idea, and his mind was too busy thinking that it wasn't a good idea. He wasn't in the mood for her games.

"I'll take that grunt as a yes. I'm sixteen. You?"

_Fuck_, he cursed inwardly. _That make this any better, Dixon?_

Beth was undeterred by his silence. He was giving her a ride, and the least she could do was not pester him any further. If he was that bad of a guy, he wouldn't have offered her a ride.

Her seventeenth birthday was coming up soon. The one wish that kept popping up was to see Daryl with Judith again. It was so pathetic, but she really couldn't help it.

"Whatever it is that's botherin' you, it'll be okay, Mr. Dixon," Beth assured him quietly, smiling at him.

Even with his peripheral vision, he could see her blinding smile. She was always so nice to him, never put off by his attitude.

But was he that transparent? It was shocking that she could tell the difference between his usual self and if he was genuinely troubled. Both entailed a silent, grumpy Daryl. Truth be told, his horrible mood over Merle disappeared almost immediately. He didn't know how, but at least he'd sleep well tonight.

_Strange girl_. He grunted again, and she giggled at that. _There she goes again, gigglin'._

But once Beth began humming, Daryl knew this ride was going to last forever.

* * *

><p>When it was only two days, Daryl didn't think much of it. Worry began flowing little by little into his system when he realized he hadn't seen little Beth Greene at the Grimes's house for months.<p>

News of the car crash circulated around town more than the headlines. Daryl knew she needed to cope with her remaining family members. People coped in their own ways for however long they needed. He understood that perfectly.

Still, he was worried.

He shouldn't be, though. She was a nice girl, but they weren't friends. It was a farfetched idea — a friendship with a sixteen-year-old girl.

_Seventeen_, he corrected mentally. _Must've turned seventeen by now._

One morning, Daryl was heading to work just like any other day. He saw a vehicle pull up to his neighbor's driveway.

Beth sighed before exiting the car. It was seven months since she had seen Judith, but it was the first time she ever babysat her in the morning.

_This is needed_, she thought. _I have a job to do. I can't always stay at home, doin' homework._

Until the day she died, Beth will remember her mama's warm smiles and steady hands while they braided her hair; and Shawn sneaking her out to catch fireflies or teaching her to drive stick when she was barely fifteen. She will remember them and think back on them fondly, but she had to put them away. They weren't there to hinder her from living; they were there to keep her strong and walking, head tall and heart prepared.

Grabbing her schoolbag, Beth slung it over her shoulder and mentally prepared herself. She stood at the foot of the porch steps, willing herself to climb them. There wasn't any strength left inside of her to make the steps.

Heavy footsteps entered her hearing. She whipped her head to the right and saw Daryl. Two thoughts popped into her mind: one) this was the second time he approached her and two) his hair grew longer.

"Good Morning, Mr. Dixon," she greeted, smiling as best she could. It was easier to smile, especially around Daryl, but she needed to make sure.

Out of instinct, she was about to bring her left wrist out of her sight when she realized that it was covered with bracelets.

"Been a while," he responded. His eyes appraised her. She looked almost the same as the last time he saw her. Her smile wasn't big and bright as it usually was, but it was sincere. It irked him that she got skinnier, but she'll gain her meat back in no time. The echoes of her loss were prevalent in her eyes, and it scared him because he'd seen his and others too many times.

She nodded, feeling uncomfortable at the situation. Daryl didn't make her uncomfortable, but besides her dad, Maggie, and her schoolteachers, he was the first person she got to talk to. Her friends crowded her space by treading around her, always asking if she was okay and watching her carefully — as if she didn't get enough of that at home. Jimmy was even worse, literally holding her every time they walked together as if she was going to fall apart all over again.

She distanced herself from them, and her friends understood. Jimmy didn't.

She nodded. "Yeah. 'Bout time I came back, though. I missed Judy."

Daryl watched her carefully. She made her peace for now; she coped. He didn't want to imagine how she looked like fresh after the tragedy. Frankly, it was impossible to imagine because she was sunshine and songs. Her eyes gave him a glimpse, but that was it. And that was enough.

Stepping forward, he rubbed her shoulder briefly before heading back to his car.

Beth was stunned by the gesture. Out of all the hugs and soothing words she got from the past seven months, feeling his calloused hand on her bare shoulder somehow made her feel present in this world. It established the fact that although she would always remember and feel pangs from the losses, she was fine and she was ready to go on with her life.

That simple gesture, one that was powerful because it came from Daryl, meant the world to her. She took another deep breath and went up the steps to the front door.

However, that simple gesture didn't help at all help with her feelings toward him.

* * *

><p>After seeing Lori panic about Judith's upcoming first birthday party, Beth offered her assistance. Lori, thankful, placed her in charge of balloons.<p>

Beth loved birthday parties, particularly children's birthday parties. The themes were usually cartoon characters or fairytales, but in Judith's case, the theme was balloons because she absolutely adored them.

Balloons of variety of colors, shapes, and designs flooded the living room. Rick was out working the morning shift. Lori was out with her friends buying last-minute supplies with Carl tagging along as the babysitter of Judith since Beth needed the living room to herself.

(Beth thought it was cute Lori didn't want Judith to see the house while it was getting prepared.)

Right now, her jaw was aching from blowing all of the balloons. It was almost noon, and she needed to be done by 2:30.

"Maybe I should've volunteered for baking," she muttered to herself.

Beth stood up from her position on the floor and stretched out her legs and back. Some bones popped from remaining in the same position for hours. She went out to the backyard for some fresh air.

Daryl was sharpening the hunting knife he got for Judith as a birthday present. Lori wouldn't approve; Carl would get jealous; and Rick would pretend to disapprove. He eyed the weapon carefully and placed it in its holster.

He heard the sound of a sliding door open and saw Beth step out, stretching her arms and groaning.

Any minute now, she was going to start humming.

Beth breathed in the fresh air to get her motivation going fast. She admired Lori's garden. Unconsciously, she began humming.

Daryl smirked.

Beth felt somebody staring at her and saw Daryl at the back of his house holding a knife. He was staring at her. She blushed at that. Initially, it was his arms, but then she found out his eyes affected her to great lengths.

An idea sprang up.

"Hi, Mr. Dixon!"

Once he saw a sweet little grin appear on her face, Daryl knew he was subjected to whatever she wanted him to do. He didn't think it was sitting on the living room floor of Rick's house blowing a heart-shaped balloon.

"Thought you wanted me to help, not be yer damn slave, girl," he grumbled while he tied the ends of the balloon effortlessly.

Beth watched in awe. It took her almost an hour learning how to tie the balloon. "My jaw's hurtin'," she explained. She grabbed another bag of balloons and proceeded to open them. "What's your present for Judy?"

"A huntin' knife."

"Oh. Why?"

"I'm gonna take her huntin' with me when she grows up."

She smiled. "Aw, you're such a sweet uncle."

He glared at her, balloon hanging out of his mouth. It was a hilarious view, and Beth wanted to laugh.

"Ain't sweet; it's a necessity." Effortlessly again, Daryl blew the balloon. "What'chuu gettin' Lil' Asskicker?"

Her smile broadened at his nickname for her. "I got her a strawberry onesie." She began blowing up her balloon.

"The fuck is that?"

"It's for babies, _sir_."

Daryl seemed to forget that she always called him Mr. Dixon. He never heard her call him by his name. But then again, he never called her by her name — just "girl."

It was good that way. He liked her, and maybe they were somewhat friends. Unfortunately, it shouldn't go past that. He had to stay as Mr. Dixon, and she had to stay as a "girl."

Beth's jaw worsened, and Daryl sensed her discomfort. He told her he had it taken care of and to relax. Around the time Rick came home from work, Daryl's was aching as well.

"Damn," Rick commented. "It's like a bunch'a balloons exploded here."

"Don't even fuckin' say that, man," Daryl snapped, moving his jaw side to side.

Beth smiled at the two men. It was nice to see that Daryl and Rick were close even though they barely hung out. She wondered at his relationship with the Grimes, how it started and such.

"Wait, hold up. Y'all blew this up manually?" Rick inquired.

She nodded. "Yup. Thankfully, we're done."

"Didn't Lori tell you 'bout the balloon pump we got out in the garage?"

Even though it wasn't really Beth's fault, Daryl snapped his head towards her and fixed her with a glare. She shrunk back from the sudden anger and smiled sheepishly.

"She didn't," Beth answered, rubbing her elbow. "But I probably should've asked … "

During the party, she received the last slice of the birthday cake. She ventured over to Daryl who was busy being a grumpy man next to the sliding doors.

Daryl glanced at her once before returning his gaze at Judith. Her face was covered with frosting as well as Rick's. Instead of wiping the frosting off her face to taste it, her chubby hands smacked Rick in the face and slid down to his jaw. Then, she proceeded to lick them off her hands.

Beth held out the plate. "Peace offering?" she asked.

He wasn't mad at her. He had enjoyed the stories she told him while they were together blowing balloons — most especially the ones about her mom and brother.

So, he grabbed the plate from her and reveled at the sight of her beautiful smile.

Around the end of the party, Beth helped out cleaning up. She heard squealing sounds from Judith, and she looked up from the picnic table. Daryl was holding Judith up in the sky, pronounced arm muscles showing greatly, and smiling at the faces Judy was making.

_Thanks for the late birthday present, Mr. Dixon_, Beth thought, smiling.

* * *

><p>Beth was called to babysit Judith when the Grimes went out for an event at Carl's school. Spring break was approaching fast, and exams were over thankfully. She had a ton of free time even though she took up more responsibilities at the church and farm.<p>

Judith sat in her high chair, chubby arms waving around while Beth scooped some baby food in the spoon. She waved her arms and kicked her legs, shaking the chair when Beth was done.

Beth held up the spoon. _"Just follow the yellow spoon,"_ she sang. Immediately, the baby wrapped her mouth around the spoon. "Somebody's hungry."

The sound of keys jangled outside. Beth stood up from the chair as Judith chewed. Carl came running down the hall and entered the kitchen. He greeted Beth and kissed Judy's head before heading upstairs, wide grin and all.

Rick and Lori eventually entered the kitchen. Judith began babbling happily, and Lori scooped her up from the chair regardless of Judy's stained bib.

"Good news, Beth," Lori announced. "For spring break, we're goin' on a family road trip. Been a long time comin'." She gave Rick a pointed look.

"Hey now," Rick began. "I wasn't the one that began a successful business, now did I?" He kissed Judith's forehead.

At the scene before her, Beth smiled softly. Babysitting Judith made her want to have a child. She hoped to also have a good marriage like Rick and Lori's.

Lori deposited Judith to Rick's awaiting arms. "The thing is … well, we can't bring Erin, so … " She gave Rick another pointed look.

The sheriff let out a chuckle at his wife. "So we were thinkin' that maybe, if you wanted, to dog-sit — "

"It's not a problem, sir," Beth assured him. "I'm not doin' much during spring break anyway."

"Are you sure? We'd understand and find somebody else."

"Positive! Besides, you know that my dad's a vet, so I've got some experience around dogs. And I love Erin; she's a sweetie."

Lori added, "A spoiled sweetie."

"We'll pay you double," Rick offered. "Mainly because Erin's a spoiled sweetie and it's during your break. A much needed break especially since you're graduatin' soon."

"_Which _we want invitations to." His wife winked.

"Of course. And I'll watch Erin for you," Beth confirmed, smiling.

Daryl stared up at the starless sky, smoke escaping his mouth. His muscles were exhausted from work. Working at the warehouse was a strenuous task, but it paid the bills. So far, the supervisor didn't mind him. Plus, his co-workers didn't talk to him much since speaking wasted energy and they needed tons of that to function.

A door closed shut. His blue eyes went over to the Grimes house, and, just as expected, he saw little Beth Greene step down the porch steps. Also, just as expected, he heard her soft hums as she headed to her car.

Beth loved how she always saw Daryl whenever she babysat Judith. Soon enough, for seven days straight, she'd be seeing Daryl as opposed to seeing him whenever the Grimes family needed her.

She got even more excited for spring break now.

Before she entered her car, she waved hello to Daryl.

Daryl put out the cigarette and nodded in her direction in response.

As soon as Beth drove away and Daryl went back inside his house, another pathway, starting out serpentine and extending beyond the horizon, began to form.

* * *

><p>For Beth, it all started when she saw Daryl hold Judith.<p>

For Daryl, he started becoming fully _aware _of Beth when she brought her guitar.

After exiting her car, Beth grabbed her guitar case from the backseat. She wanted to feed Erin before she headed to church for practice. The church was hosting a play, and she had a solo performance.

Once Beth approached Erin, the dog jumped around and barked at her in greeting. Her chain banged against the kennel and the side of the house. Beth knelt in front of the dog, and Erin began licking her all over her face.

"Oh! _Erin!_" Beth cried out. She held the dog and attempted to pull away from her licks. "I swear, it's like you don't see me everyday."

Erin barked in response.

"But that's okay. I love you too." Beth giggled when the dog nestled into her lap. "Now, now. Don't get too comfy! You gotta eat."

Once Erin began voraciously eating from her bowl, Beth pulled out her guitar from its case. She sat down on the grass, cross-legged. She began tuning her guitar.

Daryl was coming out from his backyard, finished pulling out the weeds forming. His ears detected the sound of a guitar. Curious, he followed the sound and found Beth on the ground with a guitar. He went to go back home undetected, but unfortunately luck was not by his side — it rarely ever was — and she waved him over, showing her pearly whites.

Reluctantly, he sauntered over to the young girl.

"I have a performance at the church comin' up," Beth explained as she tuned her guitar. "I wanted to have someone's opinion on it."

Daryl stood, feeling awkward and unsure of what to do. "Why me?"

This time, she gazed up at him, blue eyes bright and all. "Why not you?"

He didn't know what to say to that.

Beth resumed to tune her guitar. She hoped she didn't come off as overly-eager because she might scare Daryl away. She really wanted to hear an opinion other than from her family. They were biased. It was beneficial to hear from another person especially someone she didn't know even if she had a crush on that someone. That fact alone, though, brought on a set of jumbled nerves she didn't want to feel.

Making up his mind, Daryl sat down on the grass, a good, appropriate amount of distance between him and Beth. Erin began sniffing Daryl, and he shooed her away.

_Brought the mutt into my house one time and now she's all cuddly with me_, he grumbled internally.

Once the guitar was tuned, Beth took a deep breath and adjusted the guitar. _"I had done wrong," _she sang, passion startling Daryl. _"You build your tower but call me home."_

Daryl stared at Beth. His body, tense, leaned forward toward her direction. His fingers dug into the ground, collecting dirt. He was consumed with the suddenness of her voice. He assumed she'd start off slow and quiet, and perhaps that was because he was used to the softness of her hums. He didn't register the fact that his face was showing obvious awe. Somehow, he knew that she had nice pipes but actually hearing them so clearly changed his entire perspective on the young girl. He let himself drown in the words flowing beautifully out of her vocals, her eyes closing and opening, glancing through his soul, and take comfort in the presence of Erin lying next to him.

Beth finished one verse because she didn't want to overwhelm Daryl. Placing the guitar on her lap, she gazed up at the man nervously, awaiting his response.

"So? What'cha think?" she asked.

He continued to stare. And then finally — "'S good," he commented. _Say somethin' else, dickhead. _"'S nice." Thankfully his tone retained its normality.

Despite his tone, Beth was taken aback by his eyes. They just remained fixated on her. She didn't think he noticed because he wasn't averting them anytime soon. Beth found herself giving into the temptation of its intensity and meeting the contact. She was unable to breathe.

_Blue eyes__, _she notes. _He has blue eyes. _"Really? That's great! I mean, that shows I don't need to keep practicin'. I still will practice, but I'm somewhat confident now. Thanks, Mr. Dixon." She smiled.

And she was right. Daryl had yet to realize he was looking at her through the eyes. He also felt like he could still hear her beautiful voice and the story it told with the words. "Nah, yer good. Real good."

Beth, the modest girl she was, looked sheepish. Strands of hair hindered her vision from the wind, so she lifted her left hand to tuck it behind hear. The action caused her bracelets to slip down, exposing a part of her past, a part of those unspeakable seven months, to nearby eyes.

Daryl, the observant guy he was, broke the connection and took notice of the scar on her skin. He felt something heated form inside of him. Without a word, he stood up from the ground and walked back home.

Confusedly, the eighteen-year-old watched the man's retreating form. She wondered what happened to him when she realized the darkening skies. She jumped up from her position, inserted her guitar back in its case, and petted Erin goodbye. She rushed over to her car and headed to the church, hoping she wasn't late and wondering what prompted Daryl to leave so suddenly.

* * *

><p>Her off-the-shoulder sweater was seriously falling off her shoulder. Her blonde hair matted all over her face and around her neck. She could feel her sock-clad feet getting soggy inside her worn-down boots. The worst part was that she was wearing skinny jeans, and having tight jeans around your thighs and legs wasn't a comfortable feeling.<p>

Erin refused to budge, though. She wanted to stay inside her kennel, but there were holes on the roof. Droplets snuck inside them, falling on her coat. She twitched every time one fell.

Beth remained bending forward, hands on her knees. Her eyes squinted from the rain.

"What's wrong?" she attempted to ask softly. It was difficult because she might not hear her from the rain. "C'mon, girl. You're getting wet. Rick won't get mad. It's pourin'!"

Erin's face turned away from her, eyes looking at her sadly. Whimpering sounds traveled out of her system.

Next door, Daryl heaved out an exasperated sigh. He really needed to fix the screen door lock. It was banging against the doorframe incessantly from the wind. He headed outside to eye the lock.

Luckily the rain wasn't intense to the point where the streetlights flickered or turned off. Daryl looked around his lawn to see if the trashcan or mailbox fell off.

_What is that girl doin' in this rain? _Daryl thought once he spotted her. She was drenched to the core and was leaning over talking to the Grimes' dog.

Beth felt helpless. She stood up and wiped the hair from her face. The raindrops clouded her vision again, so she faced the ground. She wasn't going to leave Erin out here all by her lonesome.

Trudging over, Daryl had a blanket. He didn't say a word to Beth once he approached the kennel.

"Mr. Dixon?" Beth yelled. Her eyebrows furrowed when she saw him kneel with a blanket.

Snapping his head her direction, Daryl snapped, "You blind, girl?" He covered Erin with a blanket and proceeded to pull her out. Her whimpers grew louder. "Yeah, yeah, you 'fraid, I got'chuu, mutt."

The blonde eighteen-year-old watched Daryl pick up the dog as if it was still a puppy. With his head, he gestured for her to follow him to his house. She followed obediently and tried her best not to slip on the mud or the pavement.

Once the three were indoors, Beth stayed in front of the threshold, water dropping all over the doormat, and Daryl set Erin near the couch. He laid her on the carpet. Immediately, Erin shook her fur.

"Damn mutt," Daryl muttered.

Erin sniffed around the area before settling back onto the blanket Daryl provided her. She rested her head on the ground and remained calm.

Beth wrapped her arms around her form. "She was scared," she said, frowning. "I'm so sorry, Erin."

"Rick shoulda' told you she doesn't like the rain much," Daryl said. He glanced at her and cursed himself for being insensitive. "Hold up."

Beth pulled her hair around one shoulder and squeezed the excess water out. She made sure the water fell onto her sweater even though she still made a mess on his floor. The mat was drenched, and a puddle formed around it.

A towel hit her face.

"Dry up and follow me to the kitchen. You're makin' a damn mess." Daryl walked past an archway which led to the kitchen.

Immediately, Beth toweled her hair — she didn't care if it turned frizzy or ghastly — and went inside the kitchen to join him.

In the cupboards, Daryl found not a single packet of tea as if he even drank tea. He faced the young girl.

"I don't got any tea." Despite the towel, goosebumps lined her arms. "Or clothes for ya."

Beth shook her head. "I-It's fine," she chattered. "Th-Th-Thank y-you, M-Mr. Di-Dixon." She smiled at him.

Watching her shiver in front of him was not an option. He left the kitchen to find something that could keep her warm.

_Well, if only I knew Erin was cold, I wouldn't be botherin' him_, she thought. She rubbed the towel up and down her arms to calm her shivers. Her skin was turning red from the friction, but it was either that or hypothermia.

Rifling through his drawers, Daryl only found a faded green hoodie and sweatpants. He grabbed them and went to Beth. As soon as he arrived, he shoved the clothes in her arms.

"Go. Change in the bathroom," he ordered her. "First door, left. Gimme that towel. There're spares in there."

Beth handed him the drenched towel and nodded. She said another quiet thanks and walked fast. She refused to give him anymore trouble or burdens.

Daryl left the towel on the dining table. _'M such a dick. _He couldn't help it, though. The rain, screen door, and mutt ruined his night. He was in a horrible mood. Beth happened to be in his line of fire tonight. It didn't give him the right to act so hostile toward her, but that was how he was.

In the bathroom, Beth peeled off her clothes besides her undergarments. She folded them as neatly and quickly as she could. The hoodie smelled like laundry detergent and a hint of what she could only label as _Daryl_, and the sweatpants slipped off her petite frame. She pulled out the belt from her jeans and tied it around her waist. Thankfully the hoodie hid the bunched-up area. Using one of her hair ties, she pulled her hair into a messy bun.

Daryl checked on the dog and saw it fast asleep. He scowled at it before taking a seat on his couch, exhausted. He heard footsteps padding closer and closer.

Beth appeared with her clothes wrapped in a towel to prevent any more mess. She set it on his coffee table and sat next to him. She stretched her legs out, feet bare and soft.

_Drowned in the rain, now drowned in my clothes_, he observed, arms relaxed at the back of the couch. It was the first time he saw a female wearing his clothes. No wonder why men liked to see women in their clothing.

He ripped his stare away from her. _Means nothin'._

"Hopefully the rain lessens," she said, stuffing her hands in the hoodie. It felt really comfortable and soft. She wondered if Daryl ever used it. "Once it does, I'll bring Erin over to my house and we'll be outta your hair soon."

Daryl stopped chewing on his thumbnail. "You insane? Just stay here on the couch. I'll bring some blankets. And 'sides, the mutt's knocked out already." _Damn mutt gettin' comfortable on my carpet._

Although he told her to sleep on the couch, sudden warmth bloomed underneath her cheeks. She welcomed it at first but tilted her head downwards so he wouldn't see anything. This would mark the first time she ever slept at a man's house.

Beth snuck a glance at him. The table lamp illuminated his features, eyelashes casting shadows on his cheekbones.

_Yup. He's a man all right_, she confirmed.

The man glanced at Beth once she didn't respond. Perhaps he stepped over the line. This was his house, but she was still a young girl and —

He shook his head. _Shit. Did I really say that she could sleep in my house? I'm a fuckin' pervert._

But he couldn't allow her to suffer in the rain. It wasn't going to let up anytime soon based on the harsh sounds on the windows.

Clearing his throat, "Okay?" he clarified.

Beth folded her lips inwards and nodded meekly. Her blue eyes looked at him.

"All right," she responded.

Despite her vivid imagination, nothing happened. Daryl didn't hand her the extra blankets and accidentally make contact with her hand with his. Their eyes didn't lock intensely, and he didn't grab her around the waist and capture her lips passionately. His hands didn't wander underneath his hoodie, calloused pads tickling her soft skin. Moans didn't overpower the sound of the rain. His tongue didn't coax her mouth open to massage with hers. She didn't spread her legs to accommodate his form in between, fitting perfectly. And from then on, sensual escalation certainly did not occur.

But their hands did make contact. Different shades of blue eyes did lock intensely, though briefly. Daryl flinched from her — thoughts of her pink cheeks, flat stomach, long legs, and soft lips encompassed his reasoning — and practically scampered away to his bedroom.

Beth remained standing, hand tingling from his. Lifting the blanket to her nose, she smelled it and loved how it smelled like the hoodie.

* * *

><p>The next morning, once Daryl woke up, he saw a letter on top of the properly folded blanket on the coffee table.<p>

_Mr. Dixon,_

_I will most definitely return your clothing, washed and smelling like brand new instead of me. I'm leaving pretty early because I have stuff to do._

_Thank you very much._

_Sincerely,_

_Beth_

_P.S._

_Erin surprisingly didn't make a mess or wake up disoriented. It was as if she was here before. Makes sense because she fell asleep instantly last night._

Her handwriting was neat and proper. Just like her. His hand wrinkled the paper, and he disposed it in the trashcan roughly. He opened up the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of beer.

She was always so polite — and _loud_. Daryl was a professional hunter; he had the capability of tracking almost anything that moves. With that said, his hearing was impeccable. Although Beth wasn't boisterous and verbally loud, her _presence _screamed at him. His ears were attuned with her sneaker-clad or boot-clad footsteps. He _knew _if it was her usually.

Her eyes spoke volumes. Her smile said everything.

It was so difficult to be around her because he'd have thoughts that he shouldn't even have. She was young, a high school student even though she was legally an adult in society. But he was tarnished, way more experienced in the wrong ways, and clashed with her happy farmer life.

He could tell she longed for a friendship with him (maybe even something more but that was absurd and incredibly farfetched). He couldn't deny she was interesting and insightful, surprising for her age. Sometimes he felt she knew more than him — not necessarily academically, that was apparent, but when it came to life itself. Daryl barely had a childhood or a life, and he went through so much more than any normal, sane person could handle. He should be more knowledgeable, but he felt clueless around Beth. A large part of him itched for advice from her, to have her guide him in a direction. To have her _point _him to a direction.

Last night was a mistake. It was wrong, foolish and stupid of him to do so. It was stupid and foolish for Beth to not even refuse. The arrangement was consensual but neither of them were thinking straight anyway.

_Actin' like we fucked, Jesus_, Daryl thought, taking another long swig as he leaned against the fridge. _All she did was sleep on my couch with the mutt. Worst case scenario is that she'll get rabies._

But it was still wrong. He was about twenty years her senior. He should be sent to jail for allowing her. Hell, he should be sent to jail for having too many thoughts about her whether it was innocent or downright dirty.

He blamed her voice. He blamed her for asking his opinion on her song. He just blamed her.

(No, in fact, he blamed himself for succumbing to the beauty that was her voice, that was _her_, as if she were a siren.)

With Daryl drinking his shame away, Beth was basking in the sun. She stood in front of Erin's kennel. Erin was running around on the lawn, chasing the sprinklers Beth turned on once she came. Even though it rained last night, Beth turned them on because she knew Erin loved them.

_Beautiful day. Such a contrast from last night. _Her fantasies conjured up again. _A _big _contrast._

Daryl was actually a hospitable person to her that night. She kind of, sort of, hoped that she was the only one he offered to stay at his house.

Although he treated her like the same grumpy man he was with everybody else, Beth saw that he paid attention to her. Or perhaps that was the kind of man he was. If you talked to him, he listened attentively. She noticed that about him. It was difficult to be a good listener even if you swore that you were one. It came naturally to him.

Beth had a tiny crush on him. The idea of being with him shouldn't even be considered, though. Yes, he stared at her with a look that she returned all the time. But he didn't seem to want anything of that sort with her, much less a _friendship_.

In the safety of her mind, she fiddled with the idea. She indulged in her fantasies. It didn't hurt anyone.

_SLAM!_

Beth jumped as did Erin. She searched for the source of the sudden disturbance.

Daryl leaned against the doorframe, beer bottle in one hand. He glared at the screen door. He knew it was a matter of time, but he didn't have money to replace it especially since the front door's locks were defective at the moment.

With his bare foot, he kicked the screen door to the side, not caring if it hit the patio railing and caused another disturbance throughout the neighborhood.

"Fuckin' pain in my ass piece a' shit," he slurred. In the back of his mind, the minuscule sober corner, he noted that he sounded like his old man. Becoming more aware of the thought, fear penetrated him and his morning worsened.

Beth's eyebrows furrowed at Daryl's disheveled state. Wiping her hands at the back of her jeans, she walked up to his mailbox.

"Good Mornin', Mr. Dixon," she greeted. "Pretty early for a drink, huh?"

Once he heard the girl that plagued his life, Daryl took another swig. He glared at the fallen door as if his eyes would burn it.

_Somethin' must've happened. _Beth racked her brain for anything she must've said last night that offended him. Maybe he was irritated at her presence and she was being burdensome. Did she write something wrong in the letter she left him?

She took a quick glance at Erin who was sniffing the bowl she had laid out for her. She stuffed her hands in her front pockets.

"Are you okay, sir?"

The concern in her tone bothered him. They weren't friends. She shouldn't care. She could greet him good morning, sing, and flash her pretty smiles, but she had no right to trespass into his life. Her light wasn't wanted or needed. As a matter of fact, it was futile in his dark, battered parts.

And she was being loud again. Too loud.

He knew the perfect way for her to leave him alone. It was the best solution for the both of them.

Daryl tore his eyes away from the offending object and stumbled down the steps. He saw Beth about to help him, but he held up a hand immediately. At the last step, he leaned against the banister.

"Fine and fuckin' peachy," Daryl answered sarcastically. He held out his beer. "You want some? Wanna feel fine and fuckin' peachy with me, girl?"

She shook her head. "Maybe you should drink some wat — ," she was calmly suggesting.

"Oh wait." He let out a sardonic laugh. "Yer life's already fine and fuckin' peachy, ain't it? Yer little perfect life. Pure, clean, and _happy_." _Ain't with me, Beth. And you know it, but yer too damn stubborn. You and yer little looks … _

He continued on, desperately wishing for that concerned look to disappear: "Goin' ta church like a good girl, singin', callin' me 'Mr. Dixon' and 'sir,' bein' all prim and proper. Maybe yer tryna' seduce me with that. Knew was true when you 'ccepted my offer last night."

Beth's eyes widened, uneasiness sliding inside her. "That's not true. You know that's not true."

He shrugged suddenly, the action causing a bit of liquid to spill. "I dunno. All ya do is stare at me as if I'm gonna be yer boyfriend or somethin'."

_Why is he bein' like this? Somethin' happened. Yeah, somethin' happened. He's not doin' this 'cause he's bein' mean. That's right. This isn't like him_, she reasoned internally. But she didn't know him. She never got to know him.

"What happened, sir — _Daryl_? What's wrong?" Beth asked, almost imploring.

She had to say his name. She had to say his name like _that_. He needed to amp it up.

Daryl chugged the remaining beer in one gulp. He let the bottle fall, shattering.

"You actin' like yer some wise guru or some shit," he sneered. "You farmer girls livin' yer perfect life and cuttin' yourselves like — "

He didn't need to continue anymore because Beth automatically grasped her left wrist. Her eyes were wide, so wide, and the tears appeared. Then, her cheeks flushed with anger, and she walked away from him.

Yes, away from him. It should be like that.

_He saw it_, was all she thought. But she was so angry because how _dare _he? She didn't pester or pry. Her responses were polite, sincere, and in interest. What did she do to him?

Roughly, Beth grabbed the dog food and poured it in Erin's bowl. Erin trotted towards her quickly and devoured the food once she was done pouring it. Beth remained kneeling on the ground and stroking Erin's fur.

A surge of anger blasted inside her. Angrily, she whipped her head toward his house, blue eyes shining.

She thought he retreated back inside his house. Instead, he had a broom and dustpan. He was sweeping the glass off the pathway quietly as if he wasn't drunk. As if he didn't sneer such hurtful words at her.

Beth was observant, as well. So, she saw that Daryl glanced her way so quickly before heading inside his house with the gathered glass pieces.

_He did it on purpose._

* * *

><p>Through his living room window, Daryl saw the Grimes family pull up into the driveway. Erin yapped in delight, running around in circles, her chained leash hitting everything nearby.<p>

Even though Beth wasn't the dog-sitter anymore, she was still Judith's babysitter.

Her noise wasn't going away.

* * *

><p>Heading home, whenever Beth passed by his house, she resisted the urge to look if Daryl was out the porch, smoking.<p>

Even though he said those cruel words, it wasn't going to change.

She still liked him. She liked him too much.

* * *

><p>Around the month of May, Daryl planned a weekend-long hunting trip.<p>

Around the month of May, Beth relented to join her friends to a camping trip after further coaxing.

* * *

><p>Beth's eyes stared at the cooler. It contained only beer and soda.<p>

Sighing inaudibly, she grabbed a can of soda and closed the cooler. She headed over to her friends who were talking to other people she didn't quite know. Everybody gathered around the fire attended the same high school, but the rest were just familiar faces.

She sat on the log next to one of her friends. With the flick of her thumb, she opened the can of soda and drank big gulps.

At first, Beth thought this event was actually going to involve camping. The only aspects that made the gathering seem like camping were the fire and the woods.

She had felt self-conscious when she was the only one who brought a bag filled with extra clothing and other necessities.

(But it didn't outweigh the fact that she didn't bring a bottle of water. So much for being prepared for "camping.")

_Thunk!_

Just a few miles north of the gathering, Daryl successfully shot a rabbit through the eye. He approached the caught food and retrieved his bolt. He whipped out the bolt to fling away the blood. He seized the rabbit and examined it. After that, he dumped it inside his duffel bag joining the other two rabbits and a squirrel. Once he was done, he'd skin them before they spoiled.

Turning around, Daryl caught sight of smoke rising up in the air. He rolled his eyes, remembering the teenagers that parked their trucks conspicuously near the road. It was only a matter of time before the cops came to bust those insubordinate kids.

After her second can of soda, Beth pressed her thighs together. She really needed to pee. She tapped her friend Kathy, who was conversing with a guy she had for math class.

"Hey, I'm gonna go pee," Beth whispered in her ear.

"You want me follow you?" Kathy offered.

"Nah, it's all right."

Beth deposited the can inside the box that had once contained the six-pack of beer, which she created to recycle all the cans.

(She ignored how it contained just her cans.)

While Beth trudged down the woods, she made sure to remember parts of the woods that stood out so she wouldn't get lost. She camped before with her family a few times, and she knew what to do. Unfortunately, she wasn't too familiar with this area all that much.

Daryl held his crossbow up to aim at another prey but lowered it after a thought. He had enough ingredients at home to create something fulfilling and satisfying. The game he had in his bag was enough.

Beth got so lost in her thoughts. She stopped and observed her surroundings. She spotted a large tree with bushes appropriate for relieving herself. Carefully she squeezed her way through them and proceeded to do so.

Daryl was heading back to his campsite when he heard a twig snap. He stayed still and prepared himself. It was most likely another stupid teenager or a drunkard. Either way, he had to be cautious.

_I should head back already_, Beth thought, growing slightly scared as the skies begin to darken. _Shoot. __I should've brought my flashlight._

Standing up, she adjusted her wardrobe. She turned around to get back.

Daryl knew the person was behind the tree but was shocked to see a blonde-haired girl stand up behind a bunch of bushes. Once she faced his direction, his eyes widened.

So did Beth's.

After a few minutes, Beth shyly asked, "You, um, you didn't hear anythin' … right?"

Daryl processed her words and then knew what she was talking about. If he hadn't yelled insults to her face that morning, he might've snorted in laughter.

"Nah," he responded, "just a twig snappin'."

This time, her eyes widened in fright. "Someone else is here?"

"That was you."

She calmed down. "Oh. Okay."

He hoisted his crossbow further onto his shoulder. Her eyes caught sight of it, and she tried not to look interested in it.

"You with them teenagers up north?"

She nodded. _Speakin' of which … _"I'm gonna head back now."

When Beth got past the bushes — with a bit of struggle because her boot got stuck, and she attempted to not fall onto her face and embarrass herself in front of the man — Daryl stepped in her path.

"You … need help gettin' back?" he asked quietly, hesitantly.

Beth's eyes narrowed at his meek attitude. She didn't understand him at all.

"No," she said with a hint of coldness in her tone, "that's fine, Mr. Dixon. Don't worry, I'll try not to cut myself." At that, she continued to leave.

Daryl didn't hide his wince at her words. He deserved that.

The morning he exploded at her endlessly bothered her. She knew he did it on purpose, but why? No matter how many times she racked her brain, she couldn't figure out what exactly set him off. Every single time, though, her thoughts would go back to the time he left so suddenly the evening she sang to him.

_Look at him now. Actin' all casual and — and shy 'round me_, Beth complained internally. _I don't get his behavior sometimes._

Much to her dismay, Daryl was aware of her crush on him. It was just a tiny crush, but for Daryl to include that in his explosion said another meaning. Either he was disgusted that a teenager had a crush on him … or he returned her feelings.

"Of course he doesn't," she mumbled, eyes watching the ground in case she tripped over another bush or roots. _He's a much older man … __Maybe he was bothered by our age difference? He offered me to stay the night, but once he woke up, he probably realized that it was stupid. I mean, I'm eighteen, but I don't look it one bit._

Beth stopped walking. Something compelled her to turn around, so she did.

"What the hell?" she said angrily. "Why'd you follow me?"

Daryl stood a good few feet behind her. He eyed her intently. No way in hell was he going to leave her in the woods by herself.

"Makin' sure yer goin' the right way," he said.

"Well, I _am_. I memorized stuff that stood out to help me find my way." She glanced at his crossbow and, again, tried to not look at it with interest. "How'd you know I was goin' the right way? Since you didn't say anythin', I'm guessin' I actually was … "

With his chin, he gestured toward the ground. "Your tracks."

Beth squinted her eyes at the ground and saw nothing. "Tracks."

"Yeah."

"So, if I ever plan on bein' a hunter, I gotta learn how to track, huh?" As soon as she said that, Beth wanted to smack herself. _Obviously, Beth_, she reprimanded herself.

A hint of a smirk played at his lips. "Otherwise you'd be trackin' yer own footsteps."

A giggle escaped. She covered her mouth, which was begging to turn into a smile, and her eyes crinkled at the corners. Because she attempted to hold in her giggles, a snort came. Her cheeks reddened.

It was such a cute display. Daryl felt himself wanting to stare at her, so he looked up at the sky.

"Should head back already," he suggested.

Beth calmed herself some and agreed. Without shooing him away again, she resumed heading back to her friends. She knew Daryl continued to follow her, but hearing the snapped twigs and crinkled leaves made her smile a little.

At the gathering, nothing seemed to change besides the fire; it lit up the area a bit more. They must've added more wood.

Nobody ceased what they were doing until one guy, a friend of Jimmy's, spotted Daryl. He abandoned the group conversation he was in and approached Beth and Daryl.

Beth could feel Kathy and her other friends giving her questioning looks.

Daryl wasn't bothered by the stares. Hunting was a prevalent sport in the area — for him, it was to clear his mind and, as a bonus, to catch food. His overall appearance usually stood out, but he guessed it was either the crossbow or he appeared with Beth.

_Imagine the looks we'll get if we're out in the supermarket or in a diner_, Daryl thought, reminding himself of the situation with Beth. His actions, so far, were shocking him, and so he tried to remember what he did to her to prevent them. They were of no avail.

"Hey," the teenager greeted Beth, who smiled at him in return. "Who's your friend?"

"Mr, um" — quickly, Beth glanced at Daryl — "this is Daryl. He walked here with me in case I got lost. I know him; he's … my, um, friend."

_Some friend I am_, Daryl thought bitterly, nodding once at the kid.

The kid was ignoring Beth, eyeing the crossbow in amazement. "That … is fuckin' badass, bro," he commented. "Like I knew hunters use 'em, but I'm used to shotguns and rifles and stuff like that."

Beth excused herself from the conversation she clearly wasn't a part of to sit down.

Daryl walked past the kid, ignoring his comments and the looks following him, to sit next to Beth. He dropped his bag carelessly and set his crossbow on the ground between his and Beth's feet.

The blonde-haired girl gave the older man a confused look. "What're you doin'?" she asked.

He dropped onto the ground and chose to lean against the log. "Sittin'," he responded.

"Why aren't you goin' back to your campsite?"

"Too far away. And 'm tired from all the huntin'." He looked around the area. "This ain't no campsite, y'know."

Beth rolled her eyes, irritated at his behavior. It was like he chose a behavior for each day he was around her.

She noticed the skies turned into evening. Joining the chatters and the fire crackling were the crickets. The wind grew slightly colder, and goosebumps traveled up Beth's arms, pronounced from the light of the fire.

Unwrapping the plaid button-up around her waist, Beth put it on and clasped her hands together.

Daryl noticed that and looked at the fire they made. It was built too small for a huge group.

"Y'all ain't here for campin'. Just usin' this place as an excuse to get lit without the cops breathin' down your neck," he said.

They switched sides apparently. Beth stayed quiet. Daryl kept up a one-sided conversation.

But then — "You think I don't know that?" she muttered. "None of 'em even brought water. Just beer and soda. I'm starvin' too, but nobody seems to want to make s'mores yet."

Daryl glanced up to his left side to see her glaring at the fire. Another cute display.

"Why'd you go then?"

"Oh, what's it to you, Daryl?" Beth snapped suddenly. Her blue eyes glared, and the fire defined her anger just right.

He didn't know what he was doing. He pushed her away successfully, but he couldn't get away from her. In a half hour, he could arrive to his campsite with ease. However, he didn't want to.

"Nothin'," he mumbled.

Beth continued to glare at him. He was unfair and incomprehensible. She agreed to go to this gathering because she should have fun. She was graduating soon. In all honesty, she wanted to get away from the incessant thoughts about Daryl and what she possibly did to him that provoked such insults.

And 'lo and behold, here was the unwanted man trespassing her thoughts.

She stood up. Her friends were across her, paying her no mind, surprisingly — but then again most of them had crushes on the boys hosting this event, so she couldn't blame their attentions being elsewhere — and she walked over to them. With a forced smile, she told them that she'd head over to the cars to call her sister to pick her up.

Beth didn't have to look. She knew Daryl was quietly trailing behind her.

What could possible have brought on this new behavior from him? Throughout their relationship, not once did he ever show interest in her, as woman no less. The only time she believed Daryl actually _liked _her was the night he allowed her to stay at his house.

It was mainly Beth keeping up the conversation and only continuing it when he grunted. She also took into account on how good of a listener he was because he nodded at the right parts — or maybe he just knew when to nod to pretend he was listening. But the day she was okay, the day she went back to her responsibility as Judith's babysitter, the day he rubbed her shoulder, was when she knew that he listened and understood.

She didn't mind his lack of responses. Daryl was a quiet guy, but she could only take so much — as if she was getting anything from him. Sometimes, in a relationship, the other person had to give too.

_What relationship? Hell, what _friendship_?_ she thought to herself, carefully stepping over raised roots and rocks.

Pushing her way through the shrubs, she finally saw the side of the road and the vehicles parked rather conspicuously.

Just a good few feet away from the parked cars, she spotted Daryl's motorcycle, hidden behind the bushes but surprisingly near the cars. She saw it because a glint caught her attention.

Spinning around to face Daryl, Beth said simply, "Goodnight."

While he followed her, Daryl was thinking of what to say. First and foremost, he should apologize and then explain his actions. He knew eventually he'd have to … express his emotions, but he didn't know how. The social part of his life was basically barren. He had no idea how to approach this.

It didn't help that she was a young girl. Young woman. She was observant, and he felt like she knew what he was thinking and chose to not speak up about it. It was something he greatly appreciated. She was always so nice and polite; his gruff demeanor hadn't affected her negatively until he made it do so.

It also didn't help that he thought she was beautiful.

(From the beginning, he already thought she was, but those thoughts were clouded by the nuisances that were her soft hums and giggles. Seeing her tonight, features highlighted by the campfire and the ambiance of the nightfall, allowed his sight to take in the beauty of the young woman before him.)

"I got an older brother. Name's Merle," Daryl started off. "Right now, he's locked up 'cause he's a stupid piece a' shit. Still got three more years, but 'm glad he's locked up 'cause he ain't pushin' me to do stuff."

Beth was surprised by the amount of information about Daryl Dixon pouring out of his mouth so freely. She took a step forward to listen properly.

"Stuff?" she inquired.

"Stupid stuff that got 'im locked up. Before he got locked up, I'd always just follow him 'round, y'know?" His hand tightened around the crossbow, but he kept going because he wanted her to know about him. He wanted … whatever they were going to potentially have — or maybe have already. "Was nothin' before. Probably still am."

Beth wrapped a reassuring hand on his bicep. "No. No, you're not."

He shrugged but felt content in hearing that. He heard it from Rick and Lori before, but hearing it from her sounded even better.

She shook her head and bravely placed her hands on his broad shoulders. "You're not nothin', Daryl Dixon. You've got a whole lotta good in you, and that's somethin'."

Daryl let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "Beth, I ain't good." _For you, too._

It was the first time he ever said her name out loud. She smiled, eyes crinkled at the corners. "You wanna know a secret?" she whispered. "I got a crush on you."

His eyes widened, and they moved to her beautiful face. He felt himself warming up at her confession.

"I do. Ever since I met you, seein' how you were with Judy and then seein' it _again _during her first birthday party … that never left me. I always thought it was just a silly little crush; it'd go away, y'know? But it didn't, and I realized that it wasn't just some crush. I realized that I really liked you, and even though you said all those hurtful words to me, I still — I still like you." His face was full of disbelief. "I do, and I'm not ashamed."

"Why?" he managed to get out.

Her hands slid up from his shoulders to his jawline, hands reveling at the feel of his scruff. Daryl, on the other hand, reveled at the touch of her soft, soft hands. Everything about her was so soft.

"'Cause you're good. Even though you don't talk much, you listen so attentively. I feel like what I say to you isn't just words but somethin' more; you hear what I'm tryna' say. I — I knew that there was somethin' between you and me, and that night when I stayed over your house, it pretty much established what I've been feelin'."

His large hands found her small waist and pulled her closer.

"I always thought you were so damn loud with your hummin' and gigglin' even if it wasn't," he mumbled. "Damn near annoyed the hell outta me. But I felt it too. I started feelin' it when you sang. I found out why you were so damn loud to me."

_What does that mean? _But before she could ask that, realization trickled into her. "That why you left so suddenly that day?"

"Nah, that was 'cause I saw your scar." He looked away for a while and then returned her strong gaze once again. His hand wrapped around her wrist, pushing down the bracelets. Without releasing her big blue gaze, he stroked the raised skin with his thumb. "This ain't Beth."

Now that he thought about it, the scar was probably the one of the reasons why she was gone for seven months. He wasn't exactly sure, and maybe she'd tell him. And he'd tell her his.

Beth smiled so brightly up at him. Tears prodded at the corners of her eyes. It was stupid. It was selfish. Maggie had said it, and Beth had told herself that repeatedly. Daddy never said anything on the matter, but his eyes, aged and wise, said so much that she tried to ignore. Life seemed pointless, but once she did it, it wasn't anymore. She still had to live it. Life was there for her to live it and not dwell on whatever kept her from doing so.

She said softly but firmly, "It was me but not anymore. Be the you that's livin' right now, right? Screw your past 'cause it's gone and the only hold it has on you is the one you're puttin' on yourself."

_Fuck_, he thought, utterly amazed at this woman. He couldn't help it. He leaned down and captured her, unsurprisingly, soft lips.

_Oh God_, she thought, overwhelmed by the presence of this man. She grabbed a hold of his vest and brought him closer. Opening her mouth, she allowed his hesitant tongue and helped deepen the kiss as well. She moaned when his hands gripped her waist tighter. They pushed back the flannel she was wearing and slid his hands upwards, sliding her shirt with it. His hands made her shudder. The night was cool, but his hands felt like the window of the car during a hot day.

Two years. On Daryl's part, it was two years of hesitantly approaching whatever they had going on and then immediately retreating cowardly. On Beth's part, it was two years attempting to cope with a silly crush that soon escalated into something deeper, new, and welcoming.

Reluctantly, the pair broke apart, though their lips remained touching as though prepared for another round. They panted, breaths mingling around with each other and showing in the cool, cool air. His hands grew hot on her; her hands were forever soft and shot ecstasy throughout his body.

"You've got a fuckin' beautiful voice," Daryl whispered.

"You've got sexy arms," Beth whispered back.

The older man snorted and buried his face in her neck. Even her scent was soft to his nostrils. He loosened his grip on her waist but brought her closer than ever possible. He kissed her neck gently, pecks and bites.

The younger woman felt like crying but didn't. She sighed at the soft kisses Daryl planted on her and embraced him. She could actually believe what was going on. She could because she knew what they were feeling wasn't a dream or another fantasy of hers.

(It came close, though.)

"So, we're gonna do this?" Beth asked, straddling the motorcycle. Daryl thought she looked incredibly attractive seeing her lean forward on his bike, hands in resting on the leather, and thighs on either side of his bike. "'Bout damn time, don't'cha think?" she added, sassy.

Daryl straddled his bike as well except he faced Beth. He shot out an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, bodies almost flushed against each other. She gasped at the sudden action, and he kept himself from committing actions that would create more of those gasps.

"Might as well." He smirked at her mock glare and kissed her briefly. "Yeah, we're gonna do this, darlin'."

**fin.**

* * *

><p><em> — take this one-shot away from me before i damage it any further.<em>

_this marks my first bethyl one-shot. i hope you guys enjoyed it. i spent so long working on it and making sure it made sense because i didn't write this in order. honestly, i didn't have this type of story in mind. i merely wanted it to be Beth as the Grimes's dog-sitter who had a crush on their grumpy neighbor. and then this happened, so voila._

_(also the longest one-shot i have ever written. my hands are hurting, so's my back. omg.)_

_feedback is nice. thank you for taking the time to read. :)_


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